I heart tattoos link-up!

"Tattooing is about personalizing the body, making it a true home and fit temple for the spirit that dwells inside it."

Michelle Delio, Tattoo: The Exotic Art of Skin Decoration

You usually either love 'em or hate 'em. You would or you would never. This momma? Loves. I'll save you all the psychobabble on how people who have tattoos are "deep, intellectual free spirits who see meaning in the extra ordinary etc, etc." because I know a lot of idiots that have tattoos. But, they are personal (even if "personal" means that all the girls of Kappa Kappa Gamma get matching Tinkerbell tattoos) and they do make a statement.

Last Friday night I went and got my 8th tattoo done. (You can see my other 7 tattoos here.) My three year old wanted to come and see how they did it, so off we went. With his mohawk, toy motorcycle and oh yeah, stuffed zebra in tow. The zebra totally gives him an edge I decided.

Simmer down boy. It will be your turn next. Give it about 15 years.

He sat patiently waiting, until he wasn't so patient anymore and wanted a little closer look. And then he kept bumping into the table I was laying on while the tattoo artist was hard at work. Don't know about you, but I would prefer someone to not bump into the table and give it a nice little "jolt" while a needle is getting drug through my skin. Alas, everything turned out perfect.

It's my new favorite tattoo.

"due corpi una sola anima" = "two bodies, one soul" translated from Italian. For my Nonie. She was Italian and most definitely was my other half. Or rather, IS my other half. Like I said before, I am who I am because of her. We came from the same mold. And I know she was watching me as I got that tattoo, smiling and giving God a little nudge while saying, "see her? She's mine. She's carrying on my spirit down there." And yes Nonie, I most certainly am.

She always loved my hair dark. I dyed it back a few days ago. And this time I'm keeping it. Swear.

Ok, one more picture. Can you tell I love this one?

Yes, I do.

And looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. From an early age, Gunner has been totally into tattoos. And by tattoos, I mean little kid stick-ons comprised of Thomas the Train and Lightening McQueen.

Exhibit A: Picture taken circa 2010

(look closely and you can see that his friend the zeb is sporting a little ink himself)

Exhibit B: Picture taken circa 2012, aka yesterday

That's his best "badass face" to go with his sleeve tattoos. Boy after his momma's own heart right there.

And now, for a few of the most frequently asked questions that I get about this topic...

Does it hurt? And what area on your body hurts the most? Yes. But it's kind of like childbirth. (Although childbirth is fifty billion times more painful). It hurts while it's happening, but afterwards, you get such a good reward out of it that you forget how bad the pain was. So you just keep going back for more. As for the most sensitive body part, for me personally, it was my Raven tattoo, on my lower right hip. The skin there is thinner and it was just flat painful.

Are they addicting? Do you want more? Yes and yes. Ask anyone. Once you get the taste of one, you want to go back for more. I still have a few others in mind that I will be getting in the future.

Does your husband like tattoos? No. He has never liked tattoos on women. However when I met him I had five already, so he must not dislike them that much, right?

What does your family think about them? Aka your mom, dad, sisters, immediate fam. Well, my mom gave herself a tattoo in Home Ec class when she was a freshman in high school. And when I got my first ever tattoo, my dad took me aside and whispered inmy ear, "just between me and you, I really like it." My sisters both have one. So I would think it safe to assume that they approve. Besides, we come from a very non-judgement family.

What would you do if your sons came to you and wanted a tattoo? Considering they were 18 years old, I would take them and pay for their first one.

Yes, tattoos. A matter of taste and personal preference. I, for one, am a believer. You? Have one? Undecided? Thinking about getting one? Link up below and show us what you have/what you are thinking of getting some day!

67 comments on "I heart tattoos link-up!"

aw, what a sweet tattoo! And if you're representing your Noni, you gotta rock the dark locks to bring out the Italian in you! My Noni was Italian too and always called me "Caito-Alfredo!" in her Italian accent while she squeezed my cheeks. She liked my hair dark too, this post made me smile. I miss her a lot.

I'm not into tattoos personally. I like them on others and can certainly appreciate the artform. However, I usually hate how I look a couple months prior (any given month), so I have never thought of anything that I can imagine wanting to rock for the rest of my life. But I do like the ones that go down the spine, I think they're pretty tight.

My tattoo hurt for like the first 30 minutes, and for the next 1 and a half I couldn't really feel much. I got so used to the pain, it was like nothing. Except on certain areas it would definitely hurt more.

LOVE the new tattoo and how meaningful it is for you, so sweet! And shit! I am not so glad to know that you thought the hip tattoo hurt more than the foot!! I thought the foot one was pretty dang painful and was hoping that one on the hip wouldn't be as bad! Oh well, like you said, it's worth it in the end! Great post!

Love the new tattoo! I would love to participate in the link-up but my mom reads my blog annnnd she isn't a fan of tattoos. I have two. One is the Chinese symbol for Nirvana (favorite band since I was 3) on my right pelvic bone and the other is a shamrock on my left hip. Got the shamrock on a whim and don't really love it anymore...but hey, I never really have to look at it.

I'm getting another for my birthday (in 3 weeks) and it will be visible so I'll finally tell my mom. Maybe not about the other 2 though. I'm going to get my dad's signature on my wrist. He passed away when I was young and I want something to remember/honor him. Plus I really want a wrist tattoo and I think it's a cool idea. (Thanks Chris Lambton.)

I love your new tattoo... it's perfect!! As for this link-up it was a great idea!! It's so cool to see the different types of tattoos that everyone has :) Currently I am without a tattoo, but I've found some that I really like on Pinterest... and they are so darn tempting that I may get one within the year.

I loved that newest tattoo! I would be so scared to get one right there on my arm! Thanks for this link up... even though it did it three times. It didn't show up that the first two even worked! Eeek! That's what happens when you blog from an iPhone!

I don't have any tattoos, but I do have my ears pierced just like my beloved grandmother does. 3 holes in my left, 2 in my right. Since I was a young girl I wanted them just like she has them. When I was 22 I completed it lol Then got an industrial. Sadly, she doesn't have one. lol!!

I am in love with your new tattoo and the meaning! I, too, feel that tattoos are more special if they have meaning. I love stories behind tattoos! I just watched your "vlog" and I must say that I may have fallen in love with you just a little bit. I cannot believe that I have been blogging since May and have not come across you yet! I'm not so much a double cheeseburger girl, but a quarter pounder from McD's!

I LOVE the meaning behind your newest tattoo! I have been DYING to get a tattoo since I was 18 but always have been SO indecisive! This year my hubby and I are getting them in honor of our daughter. We just found the place we are getting it done, so now we have to build up the nerves! lol

I am cracking up that you brought your little guy to get your tattoo with you! I brought my daughter when my mom got her tattoo done and they looked at me like I had two heads when I came in! Made me feel like the only mom that's ever done that!!!

I LOVE the pics of Gunner and his "Badass face"! The mohawk melts my heart! (My little guy Miles sports the same style!)

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1) LOVE that piece. I love the composition and the meaning. It's just beautiful. Well rocked, lady!2) Yes. I am with you on all of your answers. Hah! My husband is very like that. He's not a huge ink fan (mostly for himself, though. He's not opposed to tattoos on others, but it's not something he actively seeks), either. (I have three, with about a thousand more on the horizon.)